Rising housing costs are taking their toll while three-quarters of people think homelessness will get worse according to a new Ipsos report for the Centre for Homelessness Impact.
Economic turmoil has brought the housing affordability crisis into sharper relief for mortgage holders and renters. What can Government do? The response to COVID-19 was to pull more levers: eviction bans, mortgage and Stamp Duty holidays. In the Autumn Statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced capping social rents in England, but the Scottish Government had already gone further, faster, introducing a freeze on private as well as social rents and a moratorium on evictions. Previously, Michael Gove recommitted the Government to building 300,000 homes a year. Action will take years to deliver results, requiring considerable political courage. Public opinion will need careful management too. Has the housing crisis become bigger and uglier?
Q What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? Q What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today? (Unprompted - combined answers)
Q What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today?
Q What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today?
(Unprompted - combined answers)
Exclusive polling for the New Statesman shows most Britons believe there is currently a housing crisis in Britain while half support more homes being built in their area